Written June 17th - July 22nd 08 Part Three

From the Blackness to the Light!!

Devon came home to find Lily crying in her room. He tapped on the door softly before entering...

"Hey, Lily it's ok. They're going to find Cane, I just know it." Devon said as he wrapped Lily in a comforting embrace.

Lily sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "How do you know that Devon? It has been over a week and it's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth."

"All I know Lily, is that Cane would never willingly leave you. Something or someone is preventing him from coming home to you. And I'll bet that he is doing everything in his power to change that. Come on, you need something to eat. Let me make you dinner." Devon stood up, extending his hand for Lily to take.

"Thank you. You are seriously the best brother a girl could have." Lily said taking his hand and going with him down to the kitchen...

Later...

A new day broke with Cane starting to once again become aware of his surroundings, a plan forming in his still fuzzy mind. He knew what he had to try and do...

"Wake-y, wake-y. What a beautiful day, isn't it? Oh, wait I guess that might be hard for you to see in your current position. You know it is to bad that you are being so stubborn and unreasonable about our future together cause we could be having a very wonderful time of it yeah know."

"I know." Cane said low and gravelly.

"What?"

"I said I know. Chloe I've been thinking and I believe you may be right. I have been acting foolishly and have waisted precious time that we could have been spending being - well more productive." Cane said looking Chloe over.

"Really?" Chloe asked skeptically. "Prove it."

"Come over here and I will."

Chloe sauntered over and straddled Cane's lap.

"Give me your mouth." Cane said in a husky whisper.

Chloe gladly did as he requested. Cane threw everything he had into that kiss while miraculously keeping the contents of his stomach in place. He had no choice this was the performance of his life - for his life.

Cane moved on from Chloe's mouth to nibble and kiss her along her jaw line and down her neck. "You know ," he whispered against her throat. "This would be even better if I could touch you. Why don't you release my hands?"

Chloe froze. Leaning back with her eyes flashing she said, "how stupid do you think I am? I release your hands and then you escape. I don't think so." She said starting to rise.

Cane thought fast. "Chloe wait. How are we ever going to trust one another? Relationships are based on trust, lets build that trust. Just one hand, after all what can I do with one hand except stroke you in all the right places." Cane held his breath as he waited.

A slow satisfied smile spread across Chloe's face. "You're right. If we are going to raise a family together, we need trust." Chloe reached into her pocket for the key. Reaching around she unlocked Cane's right hand.

He flexed the stiffness from his muscles as Chloe settled herself back on to his lap. "Now where were we?" She asked.

"Oh," Cane said as he ran his free hand slowly up Chloe's back. "I think it," his hand stroked her shoulder. "Was somewhere around," his fingers closed slowly and expertly around her neck. "Here," and he squeezed cutting off her air supply.

Chloe's eyes bugged out of her head. "What about our baby?" She croaked, trying to remove his hand.

Cane's laugh was low and dark. "Oh, Chloe as much as I'd like to I'm not going to kill you but I will be long gone by the time you wake up." Cane said relentless in his hold.

"No." But spots were already clouding her vision and soon the blackness took over. She slumped over on Cane, unconscious. Cane reached into her pocket and retrieved the key then he let her fall to the floor. Unlocking the remaining shackles, he wiped the taste of that fowl bitch from his mouth. His movements were slow due to being locked up for so long but determined he made his way upstairs.

Spying Chloe's car keys and cell phone, he grabbed them. Leaving the house and stepping into the light of the day...

The Right Call!!

As much as Cane wanted to call Lily first, he decided it was best to call the police. Since Chloe had kept him out of it so much he wasn't sure how long he had been gone. So he got into Chloe's car and got safely on his way before he placed the call.

The police had wanted him to stay at the location of Chloe's house but Cane flatly refused. He wasn't going to take the chance of her regaining consciousness before the police got there. He wanted to be as far away from that psycho path as he could.

Cane told them where they could find her and in what condition so the officers also dispatched an ambulance to transport her to the hospital. Cane agreed to meet them there.

Cane disconnected the call. He took a deep breath and with shaking fingers he dialed Lily's number...

Meanwhile...

Lily was pacing the length of her living room. Another day going by with still no news. She felt so helpless. She wanted to be out looking for Cane herself but she had no idea where to start.

"You're going to wear a hole in your floor. Come here and sit down, besides your making me dizzy watching you going back and forth." Chase said patting a spot on the sofa beside him.

Lily let out a long sigh but did as he requested. "I just don't know what else to do. Everyday that goes by I feel like I am losing a little bit of hope. I don't know how much longer I can do this." Lily reached out and took Chase's hand. Giving it a squeeze she said, "thank you for being here for me and for my family. You have been such a good friend."

The guilt was to much for Chase to take any longer. He shot up from the couch and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "i can't do this anymore. No matter what happens to me, Lily I have to tell you something."

Lily looked at Chase confused. "Can't do what anymore? What do you need to tell me?"

As Chase was about to answer, Lily's phone rang. She jumped to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Oh God, sweetheart. Do you know how good it is to hear your voice?"

"Cane," she whispered. "Is - is that really you?" Lily's hand was shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the phone when she heard him say...

"Yes, sweetheart. It's really me."

Chase had paled where he stood but said nothing.

"Oh, my God! Where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the hospital. Can you meet me there?"

"Yes of course. I'm on my way." And Lily said one more thing. Something she was beginning to fear she would never get to say to him again. "I love you Cane Ashby. Do you hear me?" There were tears streaming unchecked down her face.

Choking back emotion of his own. Cane said, "Yes, sweetheart. Yes I do. I love you too, so much. I will see you soon, there is so much to say."

Lily hung up the phone. Her eyes blurry with tears, her hands shaking with emotion. Lily looked over at Chase and said, "come on. I can't drive in my current condition, you have to drive me to the hospital." Lily grabbed her purse and urged Chase out the door all the while thinking that her love had come back to her...

Redemption!!

Lily arrived at the hospital with Chase not long after Cane. She had to wait to see him because he was currently being examined by the doctor. Lily had phoned Jill and her father to let them know about Cane being at the hospital and while her father was so happy and he said he would be there shortly, Jill had received a call from the police just before Lily had gotten in touch with her and she was jumping for joy at Cane's safe return. She too would meet Lily there...

Chase resolved himself to stay by Lily's side. No one knew what had happened to Cane. So Chase had no idea whether or not Chloe had told Cane of his involvement before his escape or not. So he decided he had no other choice but to play the game of wait and see...

Cane had a long conversation with the doctors who were examining him so they would have an idea of where to start with Chloe when she arrived. They were calling in a psychiatrist and ordering up a series of tests. After Cane had been given the news that he was ok. He went out into the waiting area in search of Lily...

And walked straight into her open arms. Cane enveloped her in his strong embrace. He buried his face in her neck and just breathed her in.

Lily pressed her body as close to his as possible. She never wanted to let go of him again but she had to. His family needed to see him too. Lily pulled back and cupped his face in her hands Cane cupped her face in return and the two just starred at one another for a long moment.

"Don't ever leave me again."

"Baby, it was not my choice." They pulled their faces towards one another and shared a brief yet searing kiss.

Cane turned to the others gathered for his return and embraced his Mum and Grandmum in warm, hearty hugs. Their tears of joy dampening his shirt. Next he received a strong handshake and clap on the back from Neil and Devon.

Jill was the first to voice the question that was on everyone's mind. "Can you tell us what happened to you?"

Cane nodded and sat down in the chairs that were in the waiting area. He pulled Lily down beside him clasping her hand tightly, not wanting to ever let go of her again. Everyone else sat in the remaining chairs to listen as Cane began to explain...

He had to tell everyone the story around his unconscious states since he didn't know what happened during those times. He had found out the date from the doctor who had examined him so he knew that he had been missing for about two weeks. Everyone was shocked and disturbed to hear that it was Chloe who had kidnapped him. Lily's grip tightened on Cane's hand but she didn't say anything just silently seethed. Cane was coming to the worst and most difficult part of his story so he turned to Lily and spoke directly to her...

"Lily, Chloe said she gave me a drug that while knocking me out wouldn't keep me from ummm... being able to - to..." Cane got choked up on having to tell the woman he loved with all of his heart that he had inadvertently betrayed her.

Lily touched his face tenderly and said, "Cane whatever she did to you while you were unconscious was nothing that you did against me. What she did was assault you and take advantage of you. For that she is going to pay."

But there was more. "Lily, after I had been there for a while she showed me a test she took - a pregnancy test. It was positive and she says it's mine." Cane looked so devastated that Lily had to hide her own sorrow. She protectively touched her own stomach but said nothing.

Meanwhile, Chase had been standing off to the side listening to Cane's story and when he got to the part about Chloe being pregnant he froze. His mind raced back to the night at the club when all Chloe wanted was a soda and how flustered she got when he had asked her about it. If she was pregnant, she knew about it then and it definitely wasn't Cane's...

There was a commotion as a struggling Chloe was being taken down to the psych ward for a 72 hour hold. She had been examined and tests were run and the psychiatrist thought it would be best to hold her for the time being. The group gathered around Cane watched as she was being taken by.

"Hey lover boy!" She shouted. "Those were some fancy moves you pulled today."

Lily broke away from the group and marched up to Chloe starring her down, Lily struck her with her open hand right across her insolent face. "You little bitch. How dare you? You are going to pay for this, mark my words, you will."

The sting from Lily's slap made Chloe start to laugh. She laughed even harder when she spied Chase leaning against the nearby wall. "Did you tell them yet? Did you tell your precious Lily the part you played in this? Oh, Chase or should I say Marcus you're in big trouble now." The orderlies continued to pull along a struggling Chloe as she continued to laugh down the hall...

Chase had paled when Chloe had started her rant. He turned to flea as everyone starred at him. He didn't get far as he felt a steely grip on his shoulder, he was spun around and the crack of Cane's fist connecting with his jaw sent him flying to the floor...

Replacing the Bad with the Good!!

Chase was hauled off by the officers there dealing with Chloe. He was going to be taken down to the station and questioned.

A soft touch to Cane's arm drew his attention back to the woman he loved. "Cane, let me take you home. You have been through a terrible ordeal. Come on, let me take care of you now." Lily spoke quietly to him.

The others watched his tense demeanor change to that of softness with just a few words from Lily. They knew he needed her more than ever. They stood back and let Lily take Cane home...

Back at the mansion...

Lily took Cane by the hand and lead him up to his suite of rooms. They had been silent on the drive home from the hospital but never once did they let go of each others hands.

Lily drew Cane a bath in his private en suite. She gave him some privacy to undress and step into the warm, fragrant water of the tub. While he had done that Lily had stripped down to her bra and panties so that she could help bathe him without getting her clothes wet.

Lily stepped quietly into the bathroom and observed Cane for a moment as he sat in the tub with his back to her, his head bent in thought. Lily sat on the edge of the tub just behind Cane. She scooped up some water with her hands and wet Cane's hair. Getting some shampoo she began to massage his scalp as she cleaned him. Her fingers pressed and rubbed over his head then down the back of his neck to the tops of his shoulders. And she waited for him to speak...

"I am so sorry, Lily."

"Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I just wish I could tell you that I didn't betray you. But I just don't know, all those times she had me drugged, I just don't know."

Lily stopped what she was doing and cupped Cane's chin, drawing his eyes up to hers. Lily starred deeply into his eyes revealing all for him to see in hers. "Listen to me. You didn't betray me and I will never think otherwise. I love you and I believe you. SHE, was the one to betray us. That b!tch is certifiable and she will get what's coming to her. Now," Lily said with a warm light entering her eyes. "Lay back and let me take care of you."

Cane did as she asked and Lily picked up the soap and the cloth. She started with his chest, swirling the cloth over his taught muscles. Then she picked up each of his arms guiding the cloth over his biceps and down his forearms to each one of his fingers. Cane's eyes closed as he relaxed under her touch. Lily moved on to each foot, calf and thigh...

It was when she touched his belly and started to go lower that Cane's hand snaked out to grab hers. Lily's eyes shot up to his, worried that he may not want to be touched and that she had gone to far. But that changed when her eyes met his and she saw the fire that burned in them.
Lily dropped the cloth in the water. "Cane, I -"

Cane sat up. He cupped her face in his large hand as he starred at her. "I need you Lily. I need to feel your love surrounding me. Please, Lily. Please replace the bad with the good."

Tears shone in Lily's eyes as she nodded. Turning her head she placed a heated kiss to the center of his palm.

Cane stood, water running down his gloriously naked and aroused form. Lily stood as well, stepping from the tub Cane immediately pressed his body to hers. Their mouths met in a searing kiss. Lily's bra and panties were now soaked and plastered to her small frame but she was mindless to it, so lost in Cane's kiss, in Cane's touch...

Later...

As much as being with Lily had made Cane feel whole again. He couldn't sleep, to many thoughts were still running through his head. One in particular was Chloe calling Chase; Marcus. Now he never knew anyone by the name of Chase Edwards but he knew someone by the name of Marcus Edwards - Ric's little brother. Cane shook his head it couldn't be but what if it was. Cane needed to know and he wasn't going to get any sleep as it was so with one last lingering look towards the sleeping angel in his bed, Cane grabbed some clothes and headed down to the police station...

Marcus!!

It took just a few minutes for Cane to convince the officer on duty to let him speak with Chase or should he say Marcus...

Marcus was brought into an interrogation room that was bleak and dull with a table and two chairs in the middle of it. Without being told, he knew who was hear to see him...

Cane entered the room to see Marcus sitting in a chair fiddling with a styrofoam cup. And as he observed him he knew without a doubt that he really was Ric's little brother. How he had not realized it sooner - well he thought when you were watching a man flirt with the woman you love... perhaps you see things with a green tinged eye...

"Do you remember that time when you and Ric went camping in the outback and I decided to follow along?"

Cane cleared his throat as he took a seat in the other chair across from Marcus. "Yeah, when you finally caught up to us you were so scared that we had to walk you all the way back home."

Both were lost in thoughts from the past. Marcus broke the silence when he said, "I am so sorry for what I did to you and Lily."

Cane leaned forward, putting his arms on the table. "I just don't understand. Why did you do it?"

Marcus let out a sigh. "I did it because I felt I had no choice. I did it because that little psychotic bitch had something on me."
"
What? What could she possibly have on you? I remember you being a good kid. You always kept your nose clean."

"Yeah, well I guess that was a long time ago. You have been gone from Australia for a long time. After you left Ric fell in with a bad bunch of blokes and me being the ever worshiping kid brother... well I followed."

Cane was stunned. "But why?"

Marcus leaned back in his chair and shrugged slightly. "You better than anyone should know why. You were his best friend. You saw first hand what our home life was like. You were his anchor and when you left, so did it. Now he is jail and it's all my fault."

"How could it be your fault?"

"There was a deal that was going down and I was involved with this hot sheila and she kept me distracted long enough that I was late to meet Ric. The deal went down and it went bad. The cops moved in and he's in jail. I was supposed to be his back up and I let him down but he didn't give me up. There is a warrant out for me but I changed my name, got hooked up with some new papers and fled to the States."

"So how does Chloe Mitchell come into this?"

"Ah, well you see I was slinging drinks in L.A. trying to make a go of becoming a model, I wanted a new life, a fresh start if you will. One night a few months ago she walked into my bar. I knew she was a tuff cookie but she came off as sassy and I liked her smart mouth. So we started hanging out and having a pretty good time. One night I got really drunk and I guess I let it slip out what my real name was. Didn't even realize I did it but she did. We went our separate ways, never thought I would see her again. Then one day about a six weeks ago she phones me out of the blue, tells me she knows who I really am and if I didn't want to get deported back to Australia that I would be wise to do as she asked. She also baited me with a contract with Jabot, modeling for their men's line." Marcus held up his hands in surrender. "That was to big of a carrot for me to resist, it was a new life for me. But I had no idea that she wanted me to try and wreck what you and Lily have. I had no idea you were even here but when I did and you didn't recognize me, well I still felt I had no choice but to go through with it."

Cane looked at Marcus for a moment as he absorbed all that he said. "That's quite a story. You know that I was adopted right? You know that I only lived with my uncle because my adoptive mother died?" At Marcus's nod he continued. "Well the reason that I am here is because I found my birth family. I am a Chancellor of Chancellor Industries. The same Chancellor Industries that owns Jabot Cosmetics. Chloe Mitchell has no say with that company, my family's company. Helping her got you nothing but the jail cell you were trying to avoid."

Marcus was shocked. "Cane I swear I didn't know."

Cane stood and looking down at Marcus he said, "because of who you are I won't press charges against you but you are going to have to go back to Australia and face the consequences there."

Marcus nodded after all it was only fair for what he had done. But there was one more thing he needed to tell Cane. "She's not pregnant with your kid."

Cane stopped and turned. "What?"

"That night at the club before she kidnapped you. I thought it was weird that she wasn't drinking. The girl I knew always had a drink in her hand when she was out. She got flustered and angry when I asked her about it. I had put it out of my mind until we were at the hospital when you told everyone how she said she was pregnant and that she said it was yours. It's not yours mate. That trick got around - hell for all I know it could even be mine." Marcus finished sullenly.

"Thank you for the information. I guess we will know for sure when her tests come back." Cane put his hands in his pockets and studied the floor for a moment before he said, "you and Ric meant so much to me when I was growing up and I am so sorry that I let you both down when I left. I'll make sure that you have a good lawyer to help you out and I will see what I can do for Ric too. In time I will forgive you for what you did but I can never forget. Good bye Marcus." Without looking back Cane walked out the door.

Later...

Cane entered his room again quietly. Lily was still sleeping peacefully in his bed. God, how he loved this woman. Cane quickly divested himself of his clothing and slipped beneath the covers, drawing Lily's warm form flush against his. It was then that Cane found that he could finally close his eyes and rest...